The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

“Because ultimately only the witness — and not the actors — knows the truth (Vyasa to Draupadi)”

What would the Mahabharata be like if told through a woman’s voice? How did Draupadi cope with being married off to five husbands? Who did she love the most? And which of her five husbands loved her the most?

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is half history, half myth and wholly magical. From the very beginning, Panchaali, the princess born from fire  refused to be intimidated by men. Due to a twist of fate she finds herself married to the five Pandavas. While her friendship with Krishna remains constant, Panchali’s other relationships test her throughout. In the midst of manipulations and strategic duels, the essence of Draupadi/Panchaali and her needs get sidelined. “Love comes like lightning, and disappears the same way. If you are lucky, it strikes you right. If not, you’ll spend your life yearning for a man you can’t have.”

The Palace of Illusion is a deeply human novel about a woman born into a man’s world — a world of warriors, gods and the ever manipulating hands of fate. A must read for all who have always wondered why epics such as the Mahabharata never focused on inner most thoughts of the woman who was held responsible for the epic battle between the good and bad.

Almost nobody ever names their daughter Draupadi – unless it is a trick to ward off the  hostile fates by pre-empting their ordained malice with such an ‘unlucky’ name for the child. Draupadi is synonymous with bringing back luck to the men of her clan. After you read this book you will never think the same way about Draupadi again!

Rating 4/5

About artikaaurorabakshi

Artika Aurora Bakshi Artika Aurora Bakshi is the author of five well-acclaimed children’s books,My Little Sikh Handbook, My Little Sikh Handbook 2: Ardas, My Little Sikh Handbook: Travel Journal, My Little Sikh Handbook: The Mighty Sikh Empire, My Little Handbook of Feelings, and an anthology of stories, Hold On To Me. Her first story, set in Amritsar, during the pre-Partition period, All She Had Left, was published on Story Mirror. Her short stories have been published on Kitaab. She co-manages thegoodbookcorner.com, a manuscript help and book review site. Her passion for reading has led her to helping other writers with their manuscripts. She is a Contributing Editor for Nishaan, and the Associate Editor for SLIM Marketer. She comes from a family of lawyers and has a master’s degree in International Banking & Finance. A regular at the Galle Literary Festival and The Ceylon Literary and Art Festival, Artika’s articles and book reviews have featured in the Daily Mirror, Daily News, The Ceylon Chronicle, and various blogs, such as, talkingcranes.com, sikhchic.com, sikhnet.com. An avid reader, Artika runs an online book club with a membership base of over 600 members. Her quotes are featured under soul_nightingale_artika on Instagram and on Soul Nightingale by Artika Aurora Bakshi on Facebook. You can reach Artika at bakshiartika@gmail.com .

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